


Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

by PhoenixPixie23



Series: Gone Native Collection [6]
Category: The Host - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-16
Updated: 2013-07-16
Packaged: 2017-12-20 08:53:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/885364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPixie23/pseuds/PhoenixPixie23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rayne. Everyone's favorite 8-year-old. This is how Burns' group of humans views her, starting with the one who knew her longest and knew her best: Sarge. So settle back and enjoy a Raynie day. This is part of the Gone Native Collection, I suggest you read GN first since none of these will make sense without it. And SM owns the world they live in, but the characters are mine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sarge

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to do a series of short one-shots of how everyone in the group thinks of Rayne, started with the one who met her first, the gruff but lovable Sarge.

I always considered her my adopted granddaughter, and her parents, Doug and Christie, my adopted children. I had been married to the army, but here, now that I'd settled down, my neighbors filled the gap nicely.

Doug talked shop and Christie was an amazing cook and Rayne, well, Rayne was just a little girl. Sometimes she was the sweetest thing on the face of the planet and sometimes she annoyed me so much that I was tempted to discipline her as her parents had given me permission to.

Sometimes when they came over for dinner, I made spinach just to see how she'd react.

Then Dough and Christie came home from the town meeting totally changed, and it was in Christie's eyes. I could tell that she wanted me to save Rayne. She whispered a choked "Go Away" lyrics I recognized, and then distracted Doug as I escaped the house. I usually planned things. Overpacked. But this was different. This was important. This was for Rayne.

So I dropped everything, got in my car, which thank heavens had a full tank of gas, and I grabbed her out of the swimming pool and I drove to a place that I'd never talked about with Doug and Christie, to a place far away.

And Rayne cried, and it broke my heart, but I sang to her, and she calmed, and it's been just us ever since.

I loved Doug and Christie like my own children, and I love Rayne like my own granddaughter, and I will do anything. Anything to save her. To keep her safe.

Even this.

I shakily held the phone that I had pulled off the counter of the Seeker station. I put the number in by memory, hoping that I got it right.

Burns answered and I uttered my last words.

"They got us. Run for your lives."

I didn't hand up as I pulled my gun closer—my broken arm and dislocated shoulder prevented my usual good aim, and got as close to my femoral artery as I could and dislodged my last bullet.

I hoped she knew, that one day someone would tell her just how much she was loved.


	2. Eric

She's just a bratty, know-it-all, in-your-face little girl. This should not be a problem for me, the Recluse. The King of Seclusion.

But she has pigtails that are entirely too cute, and a way of worming her way into anything and everything, whether she's wanted there or not. How did she figure out how to get into my lab?

When I say no to her, she gets these big, sad blue eyes that make me want to give her the world, or at least what parts of it I can manage. And she knows it.

She's taken over my kitchen, which is a cardinal sin, but she just smiles at me, and all is forgiven. I hate it.

She swivels in a chair behind me as I work, singing nonsense songs and brushing her doll's hair. I want to scream at her to go somewhere else, but I don't.

She sings too loud, laughs too much, runs when she should walk, thinks hugs are equivalent to verbal hellos, and somehow stole my old-school Nintendo t-shirt to use as a nightgown.

In any other time, in any other place, I would have demolished this girl, but here, now, at the end of the world, I just look at her and half-smile, and I find to my great surprise that the smile is easier to make than I thought.


End file.
